The European External Action Service (EEAS) announced, on Wednesday 15 November, that the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, in collaboration with the European Commission, had submitted a proposal for a 12th package of sanctions against Russia to the EU Council on the evening of Tuesday 14 November.
The Commission and the High Representative are proposing to adopt “new import and export bans, as well as actions to tighten the oil price cap and to counter circumvention of EU sanctions”.
According to a document consulted by AFP, the Commission is proposing to ban imports of natural and synthetic diamonds and jewellery from the beginning of 2024, and of Russian diamonds processed in third countries from September 2024. A ban on imports of liquefied petroleum gases, propane and butane, from Russia is also proposed, adds AFP.
The High Representative is also proposing to sanction more than 120 additional individuals and entities for their role in undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. These include actors from the Russian military, defence and IT sectors, as well as other major economic operators.
The measures also target those responsible for the recent illegal so-called ‘elections’ in the Ukrainian territories temporarily occupied by Russia and for the forced ‘re-education’ of Ukrainian children, as well as those disseminating disinformation and propaganda in support of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)